"He has a muscle problem in his leg," Enrico Castellacci told a news conference on Saturday. "If I was being positive I would say that it is possible the injury to the muscle would improve but it is highly improbable he will play."

De Rossi is likely to be replaced by Brazilian-born Thiago Motta alongside the influential Andrea Pirlo in midfield. A point against Uruguay would send the Italians through to the knockout stage with Costa Rica.

Castellacci said De Rossi would probably need a week to 10 days to recover completely, making him also a doubt for Italy's potential last-16 clash, should they get the result they need on Tuesday.

Central defender Andrea Barzagli, who was an injury doubt before the England and Costa Rica matches because of a long-term tendonitis problem, is recuperating well and will be up to playing a third match in 10 days, Castellacci said.

PORTUGAL: WE MUST WIN

Portugal will be out of the World Cup if they do not beat the United States in their second Group G game in Manaus Sunday because a draw will not be enough, coach Paulo Bento said bluntly on Saturday.

Portugal, one of the leading contenders coming into the tournament, lost their first game 4-0 to Germany and the United States beat Ghana 2-1.

"Either we win or we start packing our suitcases. This is the scenario we have in front of us ... if we draw we are practically packing our suitcases," Bento told a news conference, alluding to the team's poor goal difference.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been battling a knee injury and Bento did not say whether the talismanic forward would play.

Portugal will be without central defender Pepe, who was sent off against Germany, and will also be missing injured left back Fabio Coentrao.

RUSSIA NOT FEELING HEAT

Russia is not feeling extra pressure because it did not start its World Cup campaign with a victory, coach Fabio Capello said.

Russia meets Belgium at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro Sunday in a Group H match that Belgium coach Marc Wilmots said Capello's men would need to win after they drew 1-1 with South Korea.

"Nothing whatsoever changes just because they won the first match," Capello told reporters Saturday in reference to highly-regarded Belgium's 2-1 comeback win over Algeria.

"They suffered, too. They had three chances and scored twice. We had the chance to score a second goal and we failed to do that. That's where the difference lies."

Russia captain Vasili Berezutskiy brushed aside questions about the team's goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, who allowed South Korea to take the lead when the ball squeezed through his hands in the worst goalkeeping error of the tournament.

"He is a very experienced goalkeeper," Berezutskiy said. "I didn't say anything in particular to him. Everyone can make mistakes. I told him to get up and not to waste time. We needed to get back in the game."

SINGING A SAD SONG

Cameroon midfielder Alex Song has asked for forgiveness after his needless sending-off in the last World Cup game, saying it was out of character.

Song got his marching orders before halftime of Wednesday's 4-0 loss to Croatia for elbowing Mario Mandzukic in the back in the Group A defeat that ended Cameroon's interest in the tournament and Song is banned for the last game against Brazil on Monday.

"I apologise to my teammates, what I did has nothing to do with football. I'm sure it shocked many people. It is not what we want to see in football today, it should be a beautiful game," he told reporters at Cameroon's training camp in Vitoria as they prepared to travel to Brasilia on Saturday.

"I made a big mistake, a blunder that cost us three points. So I wanted to ask forgiveness to all those who saw the incident, because it was not like me to do something like that."

Song's expulsion came as Cameroon trailed by a single goal after 40 minutes in Manaus but down to 10 men in the second half they were swamped by their opponents and went out of the World Cup following a second successive defeat.

SHEARER'S COMMENTS 'IDIOTIC'

Brazil's Dani Alves hit out at former England striker Alan Shearer Saturday, saying his comments about centre-forward Fred were some of the stupidest he had ever heard.

Shearer told ESPN last week the Brazil was slow, cannot shoot and should be replaced.

Although he has a good scoring record for Brazil over the last year, the Fluminense forward is not known for his mobility and he drew a blank in Brazil's first two games, a 3-1 win over Croatia and a 0-0 draw with Mexico.

The comments riled Brazilian players and Alves hit back, saying a former professional should know better than to criticiZe.

"Those comments are some of the most idiotic that anyone can ever say," Alves told reporters at Brazil's camp just outside Rio de Janeiro. "Someone who played football, who knows how difficult it is to be a football player, how difficult it is to beat opponents, compete, score goals, it's a shame for football and a lack of respect for his colleagues that play the game. It's something to be ashamed of."

VAN BANNED FOR DUTCH

The suspension of captain Robin van Persie for Monday's World Cup Group B decider against Chile means the Netherlands will play an international without a player whose surname begins with 'Van' for the first time in almost two decades.

The last time it happened was in 1996 in a friendly against China, some 221 matches ago, the Algemeen Dagblad reported on Saturday.

Since then the Dutch have had at least one 'Van' on the field but ironically in the reign of coach Louis van Gaal that run is about to end.

Van Persie is suspended after being booked in the opening two wins over Spain and Australia.

The last time the Netherlands played in the World Cup finals without a 'Van' they lost a group match in 1994 in Orlando to neighbours Belgium, for whom Franky van der Elst lined up on the other side.

Injury before the tournament in Brazil kept Rafael van der Vaart out of the Dutch squad and full back Gregory van der Wiel, who played in the 2010 final, was left out because of poor form.